Farmers Protests – Failure of Appropriate Policies
The complexity of the ongoing “Farmers Protests” is not easy to understand. Are the protests genuine farmer’s motivated and inspired or politically encouraged by vested interests?
At the outset, let me reiterate that under the Constitution, the subject Agriculture is the responsibility of the State under the Seventh Schedule: 14. Agriculture, including agricultural education and research, protection against pests and prevention of plant diseases. 15. Preservation, protection and improvement of stock and prevention of animal diseases; veterinary training and practice. 16... 18. Land, that is to say, rights in or over land, land tenures including the relation of landlord and tenant, and the collection of rents; transfer and alienation of agricultural land; land improvement and agricultural loans; colonization and 21. Fisheries.
If so, first the Punjab farmers must protest before the Punjab Government in Chandigarh for their failure to meet farmer’s demands including the MSP and Farm Loan Waivers.
To gain deeper insight into the Punjab Farmers protests one needs to review a few questions considered relevant to include: “Who are the “Farmers” protesting? Why are the “Farmers” of other States not participating in the protests particularly from neighboring Haryana, Rajasthan and Western U.P? Is there active political support behind the scenes to gain advantage in the forthcoming 2024 elections?
One, farmers of Punjab, majority JAT Sikhs, is spearheading the protests. And, they constitute only a minor part of the community (for there are many non-farming sober JAT people). Also, the protesting farmer’s have been misguided by actors inimical to the Central Government.
The study of the protestor’s behavior clearly reflects their character. At least some of their leaders are incredibly arrogant, thoughtless, egocentric and power-driven – Arrogance Personified. Furthermore, they are adamant, that is, utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals and urgings. Also, they are inflexible, aggressive and haughty. In retrospect, their leaders in particular, are mostly “Narcissist” - extremely self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance.
For example, Pushpendra Singh, President, Kisan Shakti Sangh and an alumnus of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand (IRMA), instead of strongly supporting policies of “Import Substitution and Export Promotion”, diversification and higher yields of crops by modern cultivation methods has resorted to justifying Punjab formers demands. He claims that only about Rs 10 lakh crore worth of the MSP crops actually reach the markets out of the total value of the output of Rs.15 lakh crore of the 23 crops at MSP prices for the year 2023-24. So, he raises the issue of what is the big deal in enacting MSP Law.
Why are such eminent agriculture experts not projecting the real data of imports of agricultural items? Surely, they should have presented the value of agricultural imports estimated to be $33 billion in 2023 to include: Wheat, Rice, Millets, Apple, Peas, Arecanut, Cashewnuts, Edible Oils – Palmolein, Crude palm oil, Crude coconut oil, vegetable crude oil – and Spices, Sugar, Chicken meat. In particular, India's edible oil imports have increased from 11.6 mt (valued at Rs 60,750 crore) in 2013-14 to 164.7 lakh tonnes (Rs 138,424 crore) in 2022-23 - largest share of India's agricultural imports, accounting for 51.9%. In 2023, vegetable oil, pulses, and fresh and dry fruits make up 72.1% of India's agricultural imports. What more, India imported 485,492 metric tons of lentils, more than half of total lentil imports, from Canada, worth $370 million in 2022-23.
In 2022-2023, India's total farm exports were $53.15 billion, while imports were $35.69 billion. And, there are opportunities available due to the Gulf Countries market demands.
Surely, experts should have implemented appropriate crop diversifications and transfer of modern technologies to ensure higher yields to include “Green Houses and cultivation technologies.” Also, value addition in situ long ago – since 1980s or 1990s.
In 2023, India's cotton import bill – mostly long staple cotton, logged a 200% rise to $1.34 billion between April 2022 and January 2023 compared to $450.40 million during the comparable period last financial year. Ipso facto, Punjab farmers particularly belonging to Fazilka, Bathinda, Mansa, and Muktsar are traditionally cotton growing farmers, who should have been incentivized to produce higher yields of cotton particularly “Long Staple Cotton” to offset imports. Furthermore, finished apparel ware manufacture should have been promoted (like Tiruppur known as Textile City in Tamil Nadu promoted in 1980s), which would have automatically ensured job opportunities.
Also, farmers should have been incentivized to produce “Lentils” and develop palm oil plantations. And, promoted value added finished products industry in situ that would have automatically ensured job opportunities. So also, higher yield milk animals and in situ finished milk products.
The responsibility for such shifts primarily rests on the Punjab State government and also the so called agricultural experts appearing in visual media debates. Even now, it is never too late for promoting crop diversification and in situ value addition contributing to import substitution and job opportunties.
In retrospect, the reason for Punjab farmer’s unyielding behavior is simple. They were beneficiaries of major irrigation projects starting with the Bhakra Nangal was taken up in the First Five Year Plan (1951–1956) which benefited farmers of all four geographical regions - Majha (between the rivers Ravi and Beas), Doaba (between Beas and Sutlej), Malwa (below the river Sutlej and extends till the Yamuna river), and Puadh regions. Harike Barrage dammed the Sutlez in 1952. And, the Rajasthan and Sirhind Feeders –known as Twin Canals - completed in 1965. And, the Indira Gandhi Canal, extension of Rajasthan Feeder was executed in phases with 2005 as the date of first use and completion by 2010.
South of Punjab Border and adjoining Suratgarh, the Central Mechanized Farm was established in 1956, followed with the establishment of the Indira Gandhi Canal project and Central Animal Reproduction Farm in the 1960s. Sikh farmers held large farm estates – 200 to 500 acres. After the 1980s, mechanization got consolidated due to the “Farm Loan Facility”. Every family in rural areas today has a tractor and trolley.
Conjointly developed the “Dairy” with VERKA Milk Plant becoming operational. AMUL products are everywhere; but not VERKA products.
Punjab farmers prospered only from the 3-season benefit due to canal irrigation facilities. And, prosperity, due to laid back work culture, has further advanced their nature and character – arrogant, adamant, obdurate and aggressive.
The visual media is beaming 24 hour coverage of protestor’s preparations into the drawing rooms showing aggressive preparations like JCBs, Cranes, Excavators, Proclains and other earthmoving machines modified or armor-plated to break police barricades at the Shambhu border to resume their march to lay siege to Delhi. They are equipped with “Gas Masks” to use against “Tear-Gas” protection.
Ipso facto, their end objective or threat is to lay siege to Delhi – national capital – to arm-twist the Central Government to accept their demands with utter disregard to its adverse fallout on the economy particularly inflation and it’s never ending chain-cycle reaction.
Two, the reason for farmers of other States not joining the protests particularly from Haryana, Rajasthan and Western U.P., could be their belief, trust and faith in negotiations in a peaceful atmosphere enabling consensus through mutual understanding.
Three, quite obviously, politics are on grand display with a view to seek advantage in the 2024 polls. Bhagwant Mann, CM of Punjab, attempted to act as a negotiator to reconcile the differences. And, the opposition parties are blaming him for the deadlock of talks. Both the SAD and the BJP have blamed Bhagwant Mann. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal stated “It is sad that the farmers had to take to the streets once again.” Sukhbir Singh Badal urged the Centre and Punjab govt to find a peaceful resolution of farmers' just demands through negotiations and not through repression.
Not to be left out, Kharge, President of the Congress party, has announced the enactment of the MSP Law. In retrospect, I dare challenge Kharge to direct all the State Governments ruled by them to enact the MSP Law covering all 23 or 24 crops since “Agriculture” under the Constitution falls under the State List. Ironic to read that Manish Tiwari, Congress MP, wants the dead farmer to be accorded the status of “Shaheed – Martyr”. If considered appropriate, the Punjab government can do it.
Be that as it may, SAD leader Prem Singh Chandumajra and Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday blamed Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for the breakdown in talks between farm unions and the central government. As per Sunil Jakhar, “negotiations were destined to fail – because CM Mann had everything to gain from the failure of these talks. Not only would he now be able to show the central govt in bad light but also redirect those farmers also to Delhi who had initially wanted to march to Chandigarh.”
In sum, there appears no early breakthrough or resolution of deadlock. So, my earnest appeals to former Punjab bureaucrats and senior security forces officers, particularly Sikh-Jat community, to intervene and restore sanity among the protesting famers and their leaders. If left to political leaders, they will only further encourage farmers and their leaders to remain stridently obdurate. Otherwise protests escalating into violence may pose threat to Punjab’s future prospects but also threaten national security interests.
As a former Senior Visiting Fellow and Consultant of National Institute of Rural Development (2001-2006), the inescapable need is to promote and effectively implement of transfer of modern cultivation technologies by agriculture experts and extension officials instead of, per se, forcing the Central Government to yield to their demands with utter disregard to their adverse fallout on inflation and economy. Most important is the “in situ Value addition” of agricultural products also for export.
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